At a meeting with representatives of Catholic universities yesterday, Pope John Paul II stressed the importance of adherence to the Church magisterium.

The Holy Father spoke to about 300 educators and Church leaders who were in Rome for a conference on globalisation and its implications for Catholic higher education. The conference is being held at the Vatican this week under the sponsorship of the Congregation for Catholic Education and the International Federation of Catholic Universities.

The Pope told the group that both teachers and students at Catholic schools are "called to bear witness to their faith."

Catholic universities, he added, "have the duty to live the teaching of the magisterium." And he urged the deans and rectors to "be vigilant in maintaining rectitude and Catholic principles in teaching and research."